About a year ago I went to the shelter with my friend to pick up the cat she just adopted. I wandered over to the dog section and looked around when I saw this little black and white terrier mix. He was about 4 months old and this was his second time at the Denton Animal Shelter. I instantly fell in love and throughout the course of the day I could not stop thinking about him. It is very convenient that I grew up in a town that I now go to college in because I am able to live with my parents. I came home and started telling my dad (an extreme dog lover, as is my whole family) about the puppy I saw and it just slipped out of my mouth, “Dad, can I get a dog?” He looked at me and said “OK! But don’t tell your mother I said that.” That night I got the “OK” from both my parents. Then later we received a phone call that my Grandma fell and broke her hip and was then in the hospital. The next morning I was at the shelter’s doors at 10:00 am sharp to get my new boy. I had a name list already prepared and when I saw him again, the name “Shadow” popped into my head and it stuck.

Shadow really helped my family while going though what ended up being a grieving process. We were so happy to have him to cuddle with and love on when we needed it and I know he didn’t mind the extra attention. He has an older Labrador brother who is 6 years old and a younger sister who is a 6 weeks old German Shorthair Pointer and he is such a part of our family. I am now an occasional volunteer with the DASF and was at the latest volunteer orientation to help out at the shelter. I am so happy to be able to help out because I know without that help, I wouldn’t have Shadow today.